Statement by H.E. Ambassador Mher Margaryan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, at the UNGA79 Second Committee General Debate

Mr. Chair,

I would like to congratulate you and the members of the Bureau and to wish you much success in steering the discussions of the Second Committee.

The recently held Summit of the Future offers a comprehensive strategic framework in guiding this year's deliberations. The intensifying global challenges and the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian context underscore the urgency of fulfilling the shared commitments outlined in the Pact for the Future.

As demonstrated in the Secretary-General's "Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024", nearly half of the SDG targets are making minimal or moderate progress, while many are experiencing serious setbacks and regress. Against this backdrop, the upcoming 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, as well as the Second World Summit on Social Development have a critical role to play in advancing action on the pledges of the 2030 Agenda.

Armenia is committed to advancing sustainable development by prioritizing policies that foster human capital development and promote inclusive education, universal healthcare, resilient social protection service, green transformation, good governance, and economic empowerment of women, while aligning such comprehensive efforts with the SDGs.

Given the vulnerabilities of its mountainous terrain and the ecosystems, the climate action is among the high priorities of Armenia at national and international levels. While prioritizing global agenda of environmental protection, including through meaningful and substantive multi-stakeholder engagement, Armenia has also put forward its formal interest to host the 17^th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 17) to be held in 2026.

Earlier this year, Armenia presented its Third Voluntary National Review highlighting existing progress and obstacles since the review cycle in 2020, as the last four years have been marked by unprecedented challenges for Armenia. The global pandemic, military aggression and a severe refugee crisis profoundly impacted our population, having put Armenia's resilience to the test and highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive support to protect the most vulnerable.

The mass forced displacement of over 120.000 people from Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023 has created a complex humanitarian challenge requiring immediate and coordinated response. Addressing the urgent needs of the displaced population has been central to Armenia's humanitarian emergency response efforts, which involved provision of essential services, including housing, healthcare, education, and social support.

The implications of the pressing humanitarian challenges underscore the urgent need to operationalize the peace-development-humanitarian nexus, ensuring that immediate needs are met while building the foundation for long-term stability and resilience. This necessitates an integrated approach that bridges emergency response with sustainable development efforts.

Armenia has been actively working with the United Nations Country Team to implement the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, which has been instrumental in advancing Armenia's development agenda. As we approach the conclusion of the current framework, we look forward to the next cycle in 2025 to continue advancing these critical efforts.

Mr. Chair,

Armenia's unique developmental challenges stemming from its standing as a landlocked developing country and a middle-income country underscore the importance of communications, access to markets, supply chains, and connectivity. This year's Third UN Conference for the Landlocked Developing Countries presents a pivotal moment for addressing the specific vulnerabilities of the LLDCs and advancing their economic opportunities.

For middle-income economies to sustain progress and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs, concessional finance is of paramount importance. Developing criteria for access to concessional finance based on key indicators that go beyond GDP is essential, as it will facilitate access to development financing, enhance technical assistance, and strengthen international development cooperation.

Mr. Chair,

As challenges and crises continue to evolve, effective mobilization of resources for development is essential as ever. As a member of the ECOSOC for the term 2025-2027, Armenia will continue to advocate for leveraging the strengths and expertise of the UN entities, while fostering synergy, partnerships and coordination in support of the implementation of the Agenda 2030.

I thank you.